Many of us still need access to the landfill sites. Since the onset of the Amaranth curbside waste pick-up our trips to the dump have been minimal.

Conscientiously, we accumulate whatever materials we feel might not be appropriate for the garbage bag, such as painted bits of wood, broken glass, old mechanical items etc., and make our trek to the landfill site's "construction" bin.

I have always felt that the illegal dumping of those kinds of things and worse in the township's ditches, forests and streams is nothing short of criminal. Upon arriving last week at the site we were informed that not only does the charge for used tires, and electronic items still apply but that even the smallest amount for the construction bin is now going to have a charge, even if it is just $2.

My question is: When are the Amaranth council members going to wake up and smell the rotting tires in the stream? When will they open their eyes and accept the dark side of human nature that doesn't want to pay to throw away items? Yes, it seems proper that we should, but the reality is these are the people that will go out of their way to dump the tires, old televisions and furniture anywhere they can get away with it.

Surely our tax dollars could cover these Mickey-Mouse charges at the dump. It has to cost more to send people out to then fish these items out of the streams and roadsides.

Council should remember that for some reason it is human nature to go clear across a parking lot in a raging blizzard to return the shopping cart to get their 25 cents back. By the same token it is amazing, but not surprising, that among all the roadside litter the only thing to get picked up, and quickly, are all the beer bottles and cans because there will be money back for them. The trash that lays right alongside the bottle is completely ignored.

The other big question I have is why are we being treated almost like criminals in that we have to put our garbage in clear bags when towns like Shelburne can use non-clear colours.

Any kind of unwanted item can be placed at the curbside and be picked up free of charge there, and yet, after using up high-priced gas to get to the landfill site as a good citizen, we are charged for our items. Well, as the saying goes, I'm mad as hell, and I don't want to take it anymore!

The other week a good citizen spotted someone dumping their garbage onto the road and leaving. She took their licence number and reported it. Apparently the culprits were simply told to pick it up -- no fine, and probably not even a slap on the wrist. One has to wonder where they ended up disposing of the garbage.

You know, it took several decades for the fines and penalties to become at least somewhat commensurate with cruelty against animals. Will it take that long for something serious to be done about crimes against our environment?

Yvonne De Viller, Amaranth

Dear Editor,

I never once felt that staying home with our children was a sacrifice. On the contrary I was delighted to be able to be in the position to be a stay-at-home mother. The 10 years I devoted to our family were the most fulfilling years of my life. I often wondered why a mom would want to go work if the family budget allowed her to be at home and be there for her children. I knew that was a personal choice, but it was certainly not a sacrifice for me.

I always remember someone saying "No one looks after your children like you do" and it just stayed with me.

The years have flown by and we will soon be empty nesters. I remember all those times when I was there to deal with life's little crises with the children and all the fun times. I understand that people may think that it might be a sacrifice but it's not really. Our children are our most important resource and spending time with them is a most worthwhile endeavour.

E. Heath, Orangeville